


I See You Now

by autumnroses



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-15
Updated: 2014-01-15
Packaged: 2018-01-08 21:02:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1137362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autumnroses/pseuds/autumnroses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Moriarty is back, and a Molly finds a mysterious phone sent to her desk. She finds out too late that it was a gift from Jim.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I See You Now

**Author's Note:**

> This Fic is currently on temporary hiatus! I will be finishing my other story "A Masquerade of Errors" before focusing on this little gem. I believe it deserves my full attention!

There was a text message waiting on Molly’s phone, 73 of them to be exact. Each one of them unread, deleted or ignored since yesterday.

“Molly, dear, was that your phone?” Mary chimed at the sound. They were having dinner at a nearby cafe one windy Thursday, thinking that a dinner out would probably get them caught in the fleet. It has been snowing for a few days now and they were both happy to stay indoors for the heat. Molly pawed at the fistful of pasta and biscuits in front of her.

“Ah, ahm, just ignore it.” Molly chuckled awkwardly, shoving a spoonful of gunk into her mouth. The phone rang again and Mary gave her a questioning look. Molly sighed.

“You know I’ve noticed that you’ve been eating less. Don’t deny it. I’m a nurse.”

Molly smiled. “And from what I've been told, a spy as well, Mary--“

“Oh, pish-posh. Do not scorn the pregnant woman!” She glanced at her plate. “Look here, I bet your cat's got a bigger breakfast!”

Molly took another spoon in her mouth, savoring the seconds that it was impolite to speak. She took her time, chewing on the cardboard food and forcing it down her throat. _The pasta is lovely._ She heard herself say. Who was she trying to convince?

“I needed to lose some weight.” She sighed finally. “You know, shed off those extra pounds. It isn’t healthy, after all. Wouldn’t you agree, Mrs. Watson?”

Mary's eyes glowered all over her. “When have you been conscious of your weight? Is it because of Tom? I told you that good for nothing jerk should be kept in his proper pla--”

“No, no!” Molly laughed while murdering the lasagna strands with the fork. "It's not because of him. Just forget that."

The phone twinkled again.

“Oh, good god.” Molly let out a sharp breath, reaching for her the phone hidden in her bag. She really should learn how to get it on silent mode. It was a new phone, and she did not know how to use it all that much.

**_74 unread messages._ **

“Is it that arse again? Let me at him and I'll give him a piece of my mind!” Mary said, reaching for the phone in Molly’s hands. "Molly? Are you alright? You look really flushed."

“No!” Molly was exasperated, and she tried her best to keep the phone away from prying hands. Oh, she was blushing all right. Her ears were hot. Her lips were throbbing with bloodrush.

…But not in the way Mary would think. Not at all.

_**Hi Molly. I’d like to see your cat. I think I’d like her. – Jim** _

Molly deleted that message.

As she did this, the phone made the twinkle ringtone again. Molly didn’t even have to press to read more. The message was short and clearly visible on the phone’s reflective surface.

_**I know Toby is male >;) – Jim** _

_*Twinkle*_

_**Calling you now. – Jim** _

“I have to go.” Molly said, fleeing from the table. Her hands shook as she shoved the phone in the pocket of her coat mindlessly. She stood up to walk away but took a second to take a great gulp of water from her glass.

“Molly, you’re leaving already?” Mary said, standing up with her. “Why are you acting so jumpy? Is everything alright?”

There was genuine concern in her voice and Molly hated to leave her. She craved to tell her. To tell anybody. Maybe in some great big alternate universe, Molly Hooper could simply throw the bloody phone away. Why not? Toss the bloody thing away, nothing to it. Out the window even. Or maybe in the rubbish. _Why don’t you just throw it, Molly? Sit down with Mary for a quick dinner and return to your flat for a good night's rest on a workday._  

..Why not, Molly Hooper? Hm? Do you _want_ to keep it? A rabid feeling of curiousity and self-loathing overcame her.

 _This was not the alternate world,_ she thought. The phone's energetic squealing made her jump in surprise. It was indeed a call this time.

“I have to go, Mary. I’m so sorry, I really am. Send my love to John.”

Mary looked after her suspiciously, but brightened in two beats. The phone rang. Molly smiled and gave her a hug.

“This was lovely, really, but I've got to run. I promise to make it up to you. I promise.” She cried, running out the cafe to the brisk cold of outside.

The crowd did nothing to minimize her nerves. She felt more vulnerable, more.. _naked_ , somehow. Molly clicked the phone. She knew who it was on the other line before she even answered. There was this brief moment of hesitation before she mustered the strength to bring the phone up to her ears.

“Hello.”

“Miss me?” The voice on the other end was genuinely ecstatic, maybe a little manic. Like a school boy who just saw the ice cream truck and Jim could _kill_ for a cone. She had to admit she was attracted to that quality he had when they first met. _His eyes._ They seemed to look at the world with a bit of wonder. And maybe, contempt. He tried to hide it, but not for long.

“What do you want?” She said coldly.

“A date.”

The voice didn’t come from the other end of the phone. Molly’s blood froze as her ears picked up the direction of the voice. She took a step back. She turned her head. And there he was, standing in the cold without a coat on, dangling a little metal phone on his finger.

She looked around for help. People were walking past her, giving her curious looks. No one stopped to bother. Her voice was stuck in her throat now, crystallized in the cold. Everyone darted past in a flurry of unknown faces.

“Dinner? Preferably with scented candles and rose petals, you know? Oops. I ruined the surprise.” Jim grinned.

"Before you died," Molly took a deep breath and let it out slowly before speaking again. "I think I made myself clear that--we should stop seeing each other."

Molly clicked the phone off and stretched out her hand.

“And please take this phone back.” She said, scooping up all remaining resilience in her veins. She didn’t know if it was enough. She didn’t know what she looked like in the reflection of his eyes.

Jim scratched his chin. He was smiling. “Don’t you like the phone, love? I picked this for you personally. It has many neat features.”

“T-take it back. I don’t need a phone.”

“Hmm.” Jim mused. Molly could see a thin stubble sprouting on the sides of his mouth. She averted her gaze from his lips when he wet them with his tongue. “If you don’t need it, then why do you carry it with you?”

Molly’s face heated up. “I—I—I—I meant to return it—to you..” she stammered. “Really, I did. But I didn't know how—“

“Yes?” Jim sniggered.

“I-It’s true!” Molly cried. _I hate him. Oh, I hate him! He’s doing his tricks again_.

A sudden cold wrapped itself on Molly’s outstretched hand. She looked up just in time to see Jim’s face inching his way towards her. He took a step. And another. Molly was rooted. Another step and their faces were too near for comfort.

“I got anxious when you didn’t show up at the Fox’s that time. Remember that? Seemed just like yesterday.” He whispered. “Thought you wandered off somewhere. Won’t even receive my calls. A man gets worried, you understand.” He breathed into her ear. "And then I find out, you were cavorting with a certain consulting detective. Small small world, isn't it?"

 _"You.. were.. dead."_ Molly's jaw clenched. She avoiding his stare. His eyes were grayish blue. In the cold weather, the colors became more intense. They were always curious. Always. He had this capacity of making Molly feel sort of underdressed.

“Isn't everybody these days?” he stole a little kiss on her thumb. "Let's say we pick up where we left off. Dinner, dates, kisses. Playing me for a fool. Hiding in plain sight."

Molly could feel the stare of the crowd as they were entwined awkwardly in the middle of the street.

“Please stop.” Her ears throbbed. She pushed him away and started to walk towards… _where?_ Where exactly could she go? In the insanity of the moment, Molly thought of Sherlock. _He_ would know what to do. She wanted nothing more but to run to him. Hide in that ridiculously oversized coat of his and forget everything else that was happening. Thinking of Sherlock made her regain composure, and she started to walk briskly away.

But the voice behind her cooed and Molly was forced to stop.

“Where are you going, little Molly?” he said, solidifying the fears that weighed down her every step.

Her head swirled with a mixture of confusion and chemicals reacting to the cold. Yes, it was definitely the cold, the lack of sleep, the skipped meals, the stress. Because in her head formed an incoherent thought. Something insane enough that it made her laugh.

_Maybe this time she shouldn't run away._

She faced him in one turn of the heel, staring at him. He was unmoved from the spot like a grinning gargoyle perched on the sidewalk.

"Well," she said stoutly, "Nowhere, I guess. Might as well have a little chat."

Moriarty's grin spread wider across his face. It was evident to Molly that he was studying her from head to foot. Something about it was morbidly familiar.

"Ah, there's my feisty Molly." He walked towards her. "I knew you were special. I just didn't know how."

Jim grabbed her by the arm, pulling her with a bit of force that made Molly gasp in surprise.

"We all learn from out mistakes." He said in a sing-song voice.

It was those tiny things, she thought, those tiny things that hinted a push and pull of gentleness and violence, of innocence and severity. It was his eyes that flecked with manic shine when he speaks, a twitch of his mouth, a sudden grip of irresponsible force. Something was wrong, but not in the way anyone would think.

Not even in the way _'he'_ thinks.

He stretched around her and pulled her close as they made their way in the crowd. Jim sniffed her hair. "Apricot shampoo from your mum from last Christmas? How sweet. Though, you should consider buying a new one, love. It's almost expired."

Molly's neck prickled at the felt of his face pounding on her temples. The stubble of his beard bristled on her skin until his breath tickled Molly's ear. In the cold, it almost felt soothing.

"Sweet, sensible Molly. Always used to hand-me-downs and second best." He whispered. "Sweet little Molly darling, never wants the fuss. Always adequate. Always perfect. Never seen."

Molly's lip pursed. She felt a tiny splinter chip away from her heart under the heat of Jim's voice.

"Think you're so smart that you can read me then, do you?" She managed to say. Her eyes stared straight ahead. "It's not so impressive. I'm pretty easy to read."

Jim didn't reply. They just kept walking aimlessly through the street, two unseemingly pleasant couple entwined in the cold.

"Molly Hooper. The invisible girl. The foil to my plans." Jim said at last. There was a sliver of amusement in his sing-song voice.

"I. see. you. N-ow."

_to be continued.._


End file.
